Holidays to Japan can be packed with adventure, whether you’re after something pulse-lifting and active or something gentler that nevertheless has genuine wow factor. Take to the slopes in Hokkaido in search of some of the world’s best off-piste powder, or dive among enormous manta rays in the waters around Ishigaki in Okinawa. Learn the ways of a ninja or samurai in a workshop led by experts; join a master craftsman to make authentic Japanese ceramics; take part in a traditional tea ceremony led by a genuine geisha. If you yearn for something spiritual, you can even stay with monks in a monastery or go trekking with a living Buddha. There really is an adventure for every type of visitor to Japan, from solo travellers to families. We’ve pulled together a list of the most colourful adventures, together with the companies that can arrange them for you, whether standalone or as part of a broader tour.
1. Live a monk’s life, Koyasan
Get a taste of the monastic way of life with a night’s stay in Mount Koya temple, an ancient working monastery in Koyasan, the region at the heart of Buddhism in Japan. Founded in the ninth century, the temple sits 800m up a mountain, and can be reached by train on what is surely one of the country’s most breathtaking rail trips.
2. Chase some off-piste powder, Hokkaido
If you’re after wintry thrills and spills, take a ten-day road trip with an expert guide to ski some of the world’s best powder. You’ll be based in the traditional towns of Furano and Otaru, and in between slope runs you can unwind in hot springs and experience the local culture.
3. Steam your way cross-country
This is a bucket-list trip for train aficionados. Japan has 12 operating steam locomotives, which provide rail lovers the chance of heart-thumping rides through some striking mountain landscapes.
4. Go in search of Japan’s winter wildlife, Hokkaido
Wrap up warm and join a small group trip to the northern island of Hokkaido when the rivers are frozen and snow covers the ground. There you can enjoy the spectacle of the elegant Japanese crane, before exploring the coastline’s inlets, bays and traditional villages to find seabirds such as the Steller’s sea eagle, drawn here by the cold waters of the Sea of Okhotsk.